You sell every day – Do politicians?
Daniel Pink says, in his bestselling book “To Sell Is Human” we are constantly trying to, “…coax others to part with resources” whether it be their money, time or advocacy. Salesperson, CEO, or candidate, you sell every day.
With the US presidential election underway I thought it would be fun to compare every day sales tactics with things politicians do to win your vote.
The leading candidates have strategies from which their tactics are derived. Hillary Clinton’s strategy is to convince voters that she’s the most prepared to be president. Donald Trump is counting on you to believe that an outsider is needed. Clear strategies help teams identify the right tactics. The tactics are found in The Five Abilities®.
Candidates must earn VISABILITY with voters. Both Clinton and Trump have strong brands so they had a head start. Even so, there is good and bad VISABILITY and both have their share of both. Trump has created a lot of news and has made himself accessible to the media so he’s been way more visible than his primary competitors. Clinton has also created a lot of news but is not as accessible which might have allowed Bernie Sanders to get VISABILITY he might not have otherwise earned.
The candidates must earn CREDABILITY with voters. They have to demonstrate their experience and expertise. They must educate voters on what they need from a president, in a way that favors their strategy. They must earn advocacy from others and they must advocate for others thus displaying their collaborative skills. Clinton demonstrates her knowledge of government’s inner workings – Trump demonstrates his business acumen.
The candidates must prove their VIABILITY to voters while simultaneously identifying voters who could be supporters. In this election season, voters will decide if their NEED is for an outsider or an experienced politician. To whom do candidates sell? ‘Ground games’ and ‘delegate math’ apply big data analytics to determine the demographic profile of people with needs and experiences that signify potential supporters.
People make business decisions for personal reasons. Voting is definitely a personal decision so candidates execute CAPABILITY by identifying and targeting personal reasons that lead voters to choose them. Voters in Detroit want someone who empathizes with auto industry challenges. Voters in Seattle will have different priorities. Candidates must sell to everyone.
Candidates have to walk the talk that got them nominated and/or do what’s necessary to earn back credibility and viability, when they move to the political middle. Their RELIABILITY as someone who fulfills promises, is under evaluation. Candidates magnify their actions that match promises and amplify how their competitors failed to deliver RELIABILITY.
You sell every day whether you’re a salesperson, CEO or candidate. Earning VISABILITY, CREDABILITY, VIABILITY, CAPABILITY and RELIABILITY is what people do to convince others to spend their time, effort, money or votes. Candidates are selling.
©2016 Rick Wong – The Five Abilities® LLC